Dec 26 2012
Arizona Burn Center at Maricopa Medical Center will now be using Diversionary Therapy Technologies' (DTT) innovative ditto™ device for pediatric patients in their Burn Unit. Avnet, Inc. awarded sponsorship of the ditto device to Maricopa Health Foundation in November and the gift was recently deployed.
The dittoT from DTT is a device that is proven to reduce stress and anxiety in pediatric patients when they are undergoing a treatment or procedure. (PRNewsFoto/Diversionary Therapy Technologies)
"At Avnet, our charitable giving goals support children's issues, education and technology. Supporting the Maricopa Health Foundation request for funding for the ditto™ device, which is an interactive technology than can help children understand their medical procedures and reduce their anxiety, was an easy decision for us. Burn Centers provide critical services for patients during a time that can be very traumatic, so making this grant to the Pediatric Department at the Arizona Burn Center is even more rewarding," stated Teri Radosevich , Vice President - Community Relations at Avnet, Inc.
DTT's ditto™ device incorporates the latest research that using distraction and educational techniques simultaneously lowers stress and anxiety prior to or during a procedure. This advancement draws upon augmented reality, a multi-modal sensory-based distraction medium that combines technology and therapy. Using an interactive touch screen, colorful marker keys and an automatic response to physical movement, the ditto™ engages patients, effectively averting their attention from a possibly negative experience.
"We are excited to incorporate the ditto™ into our patient care routine," said Ruth B. Rimmer , PhD, Developmental Psychologist at the facility. "Using the ditto™ to ease anxiety in pediatric patients is not only helping to improve the child's long-term outcome but helpful to clinicians so they can best perform a procedure."
The ditto™ looks a lot like a traditional video game console and includes a variety of interactive games, stories and procedural preparation tools. The handheld, waterproof device is portable and easy-to-operate for children of all ages. Unlike commercial video game devices, ditto™ is proven to reduce stress and anxiety, lower treatment times, and improve patient outcomes.
Lori LeSueur , a Child Life Specialist at the Arizona Burn Center explained, "The ditto™ offers a quality combination of education, engaging games, and appealing stories to enhance children's understanding and coping with the hospital stay." She adds, "The easy navigation of this device, by children and adults alike, in both wet and dry procedural environments make it an asset to any facility. It is an unparalleled tool in pediatric patient care."
Doctors, surgeons, nurses, play specialists, and animation teams developed the ditto™ over the course of six years and subjected it to more than eight independent clinical trials that have demonstrated its effectiveness. New procedures, games and stories are continuously being added to the range of programs available, as DTT continues to work with experts to establish fresh content.